Let’s Give Women’s Health the Stage It Deserves

In 2024, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity turned the spotlight toward women’s sports in a way that felt monumental. Every corner of the Croisette came alive with recognition, conversations, and debates around the growing influence of women’s sports—from Orange’s "WoMen’s Football" campaign, which won the Grand Prix in Entertainment for Sport, to the Women’s Sports Yacht Club, a space for networking and envisioning the future of women’s athletics. Live programming at the Women’s Sports House added depth, exploring the business potential and societal importance of this space. It was a defining moment, the kind that Cannes Lions is meant to celebrate: culture at a tipping point, amplified by creativity.

That pivotal energy made me hope—quietly but fervently—that 2025 would carry this momentum into another arena equally deserving of global attention: women’s health. It’s hard to overstate the importance of this issue. Women’s health is not only a crisis but a global one, entrenched in long-standing health disparities and further complicated by political and cultural forces that consistently deprioritise it. Women make up half of the world’s population, live longer than men, and yet are more likely to endure chronic illness, disability, and inequities in healthcare access. These disparities aren’t just facts; they represent an urgent call to action. The creative industry is uniquely positioned to answer that call, spotlighting women’s health and ensuring it becomes a priority, not just for brands, but for governments, healthcare providers, and societies at large.

Yet, as I reflect on this year’s Festival, I find myself grappling with a sense of missed opportunity. On the surface, 2025 seemed poised to make women’s health a centerpiece. Reckitt’s Catalyst, a $12m program supported by Serena Williams, sought to scale and support startups dedicated to health and hygiene innovation for women. A captivating session led by Elf Beauty’s chief marketing officer, Kory Marchisotto, alongside Reese Witherspoon, explored the creation of Sunnie, a Hello Sunshine spin-off co-created with young women. These moments glimmered with the potential to ignite real change.

But then the bigger picture came into view and while there was a modest increase in the shortlists for women’s health work compared to previous years, there were no Golds awarded in either the Pharma or Health & Wellness categories for women’s health work. In a time when women’s health issues are becoming increasingly politicised, when access to quality healthcare is facing new barriers, and when advocacy is needed most, bar a notable few standouts - Vagina Privacy Network by Weber Shandwick for MSI Reproductive Choices and Drops of Hope by FCB NY for Kimberley Clark, which focuses on addressing health disparities in under-served communities by collaborating with scientists to analyse urine extracted from used incontinence pads- the creative community seemed to hesitate.

Instead of a bold, definitive statement on the Cannes stage, women’s health remained in the shadows—overshadowed, even, by campaigns like the Grand Prix winner for a “little blue pill,” celebrating the pleasures of extended intimacy.

Meanwhile, the Grand Prix for Good went to a humour-tinged campaign from New Zealand, cheekily dubbed “the best place in the world to have herpes.” For a Festival that prides itself on celebrating bravery and cultural relevance, this year’s narrative around health felt frustratingly out of touch with the broader crises women face globally.

Here’s the thing: women’s health shouldn’t be another category at Cannes. It should be a cultural inflection point, a platform for transformative ideas that trigger meaningful action. If women’s sports are now thriving on the global stage after decades of being overlooked, why can’t we do the same for the health of half the world’s population? Where are the Grand Prix-winning campaigns that fight for women to access basic healthcare? Where is the creativity that advocates for those who are battling systemic inequities, cultural stigmas, and political roadblocks to demand their right to health and well-being?

The absence of bold work in this space isn’t just disappointing, it’s telling. It reveals how much further we, as an industry, need to go to hold ourselves accountable for the issues that truly matter. Creativity has always been a catalyst for cultural change. It has the power to challenge norms, break taboos, and inspire action. But that power is meaningless if we shy away from using it for issues that sit at the heart of inequality. Women’s health isn’t a niche topic; it’s a mirror reflecting the values of our society. Right now, that mirror doesn’t show the reflection we need to see.

As the sun set on Cannes 2025, I found myself grappling with a mix of emotions: frustration over what wasn’t done, hope for what could be, and an unwavering belief that meaningful change is still possible. The creative industry has the tools, resources, and influence to champion women’s health in the same way it has elevated other causes. What it needs now is the courage to act—boldly, unapologetically, and without hesitation.

So here’s my appeal to the creatives, strategists, and visionaries shaping this industry: let’s not wait for another year to pass before we take this seriously. Let’s make women’s health the defining moment at Cannes 2026. Let’s work to create campaigns that don’t just win awards but change lives. Let’s stand at the forefront of this global crisis, not as passive observers but as active participants, ready to turn creativity into a force for equity, access, and better futures.

May the sun never set on our ambition to create a healthier, more just world for women everywhere.

Rachael Pay is President, Health EMEA and Integration Lead APAC at Weber Shandwick.